ABOUT THE ARTIST
Igor V. Babailov, M.F.A., nationally and internationally renowned portrait and figurative artist, scholar and spokesperson for the traditional school of classical art, was born on February 9, 1965 in the town of Glazov, Russia into a family of academia: his father Valery Babailov - fine artist and educator, poet, song-writer and composer and his mother Rosa Babailova - acclaimed and award-winning teacher of biology & chemistry, and a wonderful human-being.
Igor and his brother Vladislav grew up in the environment of creativity and working ethics. Inspired and morally supported by his parents, Igor painted his first portrait at the age of
four and began his formal art education at the age of nine.
At the age of thirteen in a Nationwide competition, followed by
strict and disciplined art exams, he was the only person out of
thousands of applicants to fill one opening at the most prestigious
school in the country for gifted children - Surikov College of Fine Arts
(later renamed into Moscow Academic Art Lyceum under The Russian
Mr. Babailov is a recipient of national
and international awards and honors
and received his Master of Fine Arts
degree (M.F.A. - the equivalent to
Ph.D. in other fields) from the world
acclaimed Surikov Academy of Fine Arts - center of Fine art education in Russia, representing Russian Academy of Arts (est.1757) and attracting talented artists and art students from around the world.
His fine art education (1974-1990) belongs to the Russian- European Academic school. He is a third generation direct descendant student of the world famous painters I. Repin and V. Serov and is proud to continue and to represent the Renowned School's traditions, passed on to him by his famous teachers.
Honored with the title “Living Master” by the Art Renewal Center (ARC), Mr. Babailov is an accomplished artist with outstanding credentials having attained the highest level of fine art education and to paint some of the world’s most important leaders and influencers. Over the past 20 years, he has painted numerous commissioned portraits of social, business and political elite. His notable portraits and figurative paintings are in important official and international collections including those of Pope John Paul II, Vatican Museum, President George W. Bush, Jr. Presidential Collection; Former Mayor Rudolph Giuliani of New York, Collection Giuliani Partners, N.Y.C., President V.V. Putin of Russia, Collection of The Kremlin; Nelson Mandela, Collection of the Mandela’s South Africa; Former First Lady Hillary R. Clinton, Collection Clinton Presidential Library, Prime Minister Brian Mulroney, Collection of the House of Commons, Prime Minister Jean Chrétien, TV Celebrity Regis Philbin, Founder and CEO of the Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts Isadore Sharp; frmr President of Warner Chappell Music in NYC Frank Military; America’s most brilliant pianist Byron Janis,commissioned by his wife Maria Cooper Janis, daughter of film star Gary Cooper. Babailov's portrait of Frederick Hart, America’s greatest figurative sculptor was recently inducted along with his sculpture, into the Pope John Paul II Cultural Center in Washington, DC and his portrait of James Gandolfini - awards winning actor, was officially unveiled at the Waldorf Astoria Grand Ballroom in New York City. Founded by Steven Spielberg,"Starlight Starbright Foundation" recently featured Babailov's portrait of Akira Kurosawa, world famous and Japan's beloved film director, commissioned by Kurosawa Productions, exhibited at the World Celebrities Art Fair in Tokyo.
Painting multi-figurative Murals is traditionally recognized as the highest achievement of the artistic expertise. Besides being a portraitist, Mr. Babailov’s uniqueness as an artist is also evident in his large-scale mural size works such as the historical painting of the Columbus Voyage to the Americas, entitled “For Gold, God and Glory”, which is permanently featured in the Peruvian Encyclopedia (Empresa Editora Il Comercio,S.A.) His multi-figured composition “BELIEVE”, official historic portrait of Pope John Paul II, was commissioned in commemoration of the World Youth Days, it is in the Collection of the Vatican Museum and by the personal decree of the late Pope it is displayed in Castel Gandolfo, the Papal summer residence.
His “Who has to suffer…and Why?” 10’x 8’ mural painting, portraying children of different cultural and religious backgrounds, is currently underway and it is dedicated to the innocent victims of world terrorism.
Mr. Babailov is also the American Director and Co-Author of the international Panorama projects, such as the recent one in the Attaturk Museum, Turkey.
He is an exclusive speaker on the Harry Walker Agency – America’s leading executive lecture agency, including such celebrity speakers as President Bill Clinton, and others. Some of his distinctive family portraits include the Molsons, Pushkins, Lazenbys, Desmarais, Henrys, Khrushchev’s and Ambassador and Mrs. Ruggiero of Rome. In 1996 he organized the very First Official delegation visit of American artists to Russia and has taught at the Florence Academy of Art, Italy in 1999.
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS
EDUCATION
Igor Babailov's fine art education (1974-1990) belongs to the acclaimed Russian-European Academic school of art. He is a third generation direct descendant student of the world famous Masters: I. Repin,V. Serov, K. Korovin, and V. Favorskiy. They taught D. Kardovskiy,
I. Grabar, A. Deineka, S. Gerasimov, renowned artists who taught Mr. Babailov's professors. Babailov studied directly under V. Zabelin, S.Andriaka, M. Kugach, V.Sherbakov, V.Zavgorodniy,
I. Gorbunov, I. Shatskiy, S.Chirkov, A. Danilichev, A. Kholmogorov, art historian M. Alpatov
and other distinguished artists and professors of Fine Art.
Curriculum of studies included intensive training in
- Human Anatomy (The Anatomical Studies of the
Human Form, as the fundamental of the most
challenging form in visual art).
- The Laws of Perspective
- Composition: The Master Rules
- Studio Life Painting: Still-life, Cast, Portrait, Torso,
Nude Figure, Clothed Figure, Group Model setting, concepts of colors and tonal values
- Studio Life Drawing: Still-life, Cast, Portrait, Torso, Nude Figure, Clothed Figure, Croup Model setting, exercises in anatomy, proportions, chiaroscuro
- Plein-Air Practice (national and international travels, outdoor Portraits, Landscapes, etc. all from life)
- Technology of Painting and Painting Materials (under prof. O.B.Pavlov,
great-grandson of the famous Master A. Savrasov
- Studies of the Masters Techniques
- Official Museum Copies (with the obtained official permissions of the Ministry of Culture, to study the originals and to make identical copies )
- World Art History: Painting , Sculpture, Architecture from Pre-historic Art to Contemporary
ACADEMIC CREDENTIALS
1990 Master of Fine Arts Degree ( M.F.A.- the equivalent to Ph.D. in other fields). Surikov State Academic Art Institute (a.k.a. Surikov Academy of Fine Arts) of the Russian Imperial Academy of Arts (est.1757). Completed full program of studies within five years,
instead of customary six.
1983 Fine Arts Diploma and High School Diploma, Moscow Academic Lyceum of Arts under the Russian Academy of Arts.
(Honors graduate, receiving Professors Recommendation for special admission to the
Surikov Academy)
1978 Fine Arts Certificate and Diploma, Preparatory School of Fine Art, Glazov, Russia (Honors graduate).
SELECTED AWARDS & HONORS
2006 Honored by the Vatican with the special sitting with Pope Benedict XVI for the Papal Portrait.
2004 Portrait of Pope John Paul II ("Believe") is displayed in Castel Gandolfo by the personal decree of the Pope.
2004 The painting "For Gold, God and Glory" is permanently included in the Peruvian Encyclopedia, Empresa Editora Il Comercio,S.A
2003 Honorary Member, Drawing Society of Canada
2002 Honored with the title "Living Master" by the Art Renewal Center (ARC)
2001 Honorable Mention – Portrait Competition, International Artist Magazine, Australia
1999 Honorable Mention – Portrait Competition, The Artists Magazine, U.S.A.
1997 The Merit Award – “Realism '97 International Art Competition, Parkersburg, WV
1994 Grand Prize Winner – American Society of Portrait Artists Competition
1993 Award “For Outstanding Achievement in Portrait Painting” – National Portrait
Seminar – American Artist Magazine
1992 Selected to create a Cover for the book "From East to West"
1990 Selected by the National Academic Committee to be one of the few to represent the Russian Academic schools in the Exhibition in Scotland. Participants included the graduates of the Surikov Academy, the Repin Academy and the Stroganov Art Institute.
1989 First Prize Winner – Annual Graphic Works Competition, Surikov Academy of Fine Arts, Moscow, Russia
1989 Selected to draw the portraits of Russian Celebrities, such as: A.Rosenbaum, I.Resnik, L.Dolina, E.Shifrin, B.Moiseev, to name a few.
1988 Selected by the Surikov Academy as one of the best academic works, Mr. Babailov's archived portrait is to be represented in the permanent collection of the Vietnam Academy of Art.
1983 Honors Graduate, Surikov College of Fine Art. Professors’ Recommendation for special admition to the Surikov Academy of Fine Arts.
1981 Top Award for the portrait "Egorka" in the National Art Colleges Competition, judged by the renowned Russian Artist F. Reshetnikov
1979 Selected out of thousands in the Nation-wide competition for the only vacancy at the prestigious Surikov College of Fine Art in Moscow.
LECTURED & DEMONSTRATED
Present The Igor Babailov Institute of Realism – Master Workshops
for Art Professionals and Art Students
Present Featured Exclusive Art Speaker on the Harry Walker Agency-
America’s Leading Exclusive Lecture Agency in New York
2006-2008 Connecticut Society of Portrait Artists (Stage Painting
Demonstration & Lecture, critiques)
2005 Tennessee Arts Academy, Belmont University (Lecture)
2005 Connecticut Society of Portrait Artists (Stage Painting
Demonstration & Lecture)
2004 Connecticut Society of Portrait Artists (Stage Demonstations,
Workshop & Judging of the Portrait Show with
Dr. Marcus Burke, Curator, Museum, Hispanic Society
of America, New York City)
2003 Bellport Art council, Long Island, NY (Master Workshop/
Demonstration)
2002 Art Gallery of Ontario, Toronto (Stage Portrait
Demonstration, Canadian Society of Portrait Artists Festival)
2000 Preparatory Art College, Glazov, Russia, (“Mastering yourself” Lecture)
1999 Florence Academy of Art - Florence, Italy (Instructor of Figure Painting in Oil, Summer Program) The International attendance of students included the art students from Four Continents.
1999 Cincinnati Art Club, 2nd oldest Art Club in the USA (Demonstration for at least 100 people & a Master Workshop)
1999 Private instruction to Sayaka Yamaguchi, the student from Tokyo, Japan
1999 West Coast Portrait Society – Sacramento, CA USA (Master Workshops, Demos)
1997 West Coast Portrait Society – Sacramento, CA USA (Master Workshops, Demos)
1996 West Coast Portrait Society – Sacramento, CA USA (Master Workshops, Demos)
1995 American Society of Portrait Artists – USA (Lecture/Painting Presentation)
1994 Ontario College of Art - Canada (Lecture & Slides Presentation)
1990 -1993 Master Workshops, Loyalist College, Ontario
SELECTED LIST OF PRESENTATIONS & EXHIBITIONS
2008 Unveiling of the portrait of Tiki Barber, American Football Star, New York City
2007 Unveiling of the portrait of Frederick Hart and his Cross of the Millennium, collection Pope John Paul II Cultural Center, Washington, DC
2007 Unveiling of Portraits of Bob Costas and Bill Gallo, Waldorf Astoria, New York City
2006 Solo Exhibition, The Gallery at Summerlin, Las Vegas
2006 "The World Celebrities Art Fair", Starlight Starbright Children's Foundation, Tokyo, Japan
2006 Presentation of preliminary sketches to Pope Benedict XVI, Vatican
2006 Unveiling of the portrait of Isadore Sharp, Founder&Chairman, Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts
2006 Unveiling of the portrait of Boomer Esiason, New York City
2006 Unveiling of the portrait of John Bello, New York City
2006 Unveiling of two portraits at the Indiana University Art Museum.
2006 Regional Museum Exhibition on Life and Works of Igor Babailov, Glazov, Russia
2006 Unveiling of Portrait of Dr. J.W. Streilein, The Schepens Eye Research Institute, Harvard
2005 Unveiling of James Gandolfini's portrait, Waldorf Astoria, New York City
2005 Official presentation of Frederick Hart's portrait, Russian Embassy, Washington, DC
2005 Unveiling of the Portrait of Byron Janis, Steinway Hall, Steinway & Sons, New York City
2004 State Portrait Presentation to Pope John Paul II, Vatican
2003 Portrait Presentation to Regis Philbin, New York City
2003 Portrait Presentation to Gouvernor Yves Fortier, Hudson’s Bay Company
2002 State Portrait Presentation to President George W. Bush, The White House, Washington, DC
2002 Portrait Presentation to Mayor Rudolph Giuliani, New York, NY
2002 State Portrait Presentation, Prime Minister Brian Mulroney, Parliament Hill
2002 State Portrait Presentation to President V. Putin, Moscow, Russia
2002 State Portrait Presentation to V. Tretiak, Moscow, Russia
2001 State Portrait Presentation to Nelson Mandela, Ottawa, Canada
2001 Portrait Presentation to Prime Minister of Canada, Jean Chretien
2001 Solo Exhibition and Launch of the Russian Sponsored Book, Russia
2000 State Presentation of the Portrait of M. Kalashnikov, Central Armed Forces Museum, Russia
2000 Unveiling of the Portrait of Dr. R. Kilmura, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts
1999, 98, 97 Art Auction, Alzheimer Society (Benefit)
1999 Solo Exhibition, Ogilvy’s Ltd., Montreal (Benefit for Emmanuelle Masson School
for disabled children)
1999 Art Auction, Unicorn Children’s Foundation, Palm Beach, Florida (Benefit)
1999 Annual Exhibition of Portrait Brokers of America, Inc. (Conference) .
1996 Joint American-Russian Art Exhibition, Kolomna (dated 1078), Russia.
1996 "Vernisazh" Solo Exhibition, HEIM America at Fisher Island Gallery, Florida
1995 Solo Exhibition, Metro Toronto Convention Center, Toronto
1995 Art Auction, Shaw Festival, Toronto (Benefit)
1993 Solo Exhibition, Portraits Inc. Montreal
1992 International Foundation for Peace Through Culture, Ottawa
1989 Glasgow College of Art, Scotland
SPECIAL ACCOMPLISHMENTS
1996 Organized the very First Official delegation of American artists to Russia in conjunction
with the DUMA (Russian Parliament) and the Union of Artists of the Russian Federation. The agenda included trips to the Art Museums of Moscow and St. Petersburg and Plein Air painting with the group of prominent Russian artists, resulting in the joint Art Exhibition, featured in print media.
SELECTED COLLECTIONS
Private and corporate collections holding Babailov's works but not listed here are in the U.S.A., Canada and overseas including Germany, England, Holland, Finland, Russia, Italy, Australia and other countries.
CORPORATE & OFFICIAL
Albert College
Boston Eye & Ear Hospital
Central Armed Forces Museum, Russia
Clinton Presidential Center
Consulate General of Russia
Contrans Corporation
Corporate Planning Associates
Cramer, Rosenthal, McGlynn, LLC
Essroc, Inc.
Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts
Giuliani Partners, LLC
Harvard University, Medical School
House of Commons, Canada
Hudson’s Bay Company (est. 1670)
Hummingbird Communications
Indiana University Art Museum
Indiana University Foundation
Kremlin, Moscow, Russia
McDonald's Corporation
Monmouth University
National Bank
Reitmans Inc.
Rhone - Poulenc Rorer Inc.
Schepens Eye Research Institute, Harvard Medical School
Somiper Inc.
Starlight Starbright Children's Foundation Japan
Steinway & Sons, New York City
Synergistics Industries Ltd.
The White House, Washington, DC
Vatican Museum, Vatican
Vietnam Academy of Art
SELECTED CLIENTS
His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI
His Holiness Pope John Paul II
President and Mrs. Nelson Mandela
President of the United States of America, Hon. George W. Bush
His Excellency V. V. Putin, President of the Russian Federation
Rt. Hon. Brian Mulroney, Prime Minister of Canada
Senator and Mrs. Douglas Henry
Senator M. Pitfield
Rt. Hon. Jean Chretien, Prime Minister of Canada
Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani, Former Mayor of New York
Mr. Archie W. Dunham, CEO, ConocoPhillips, Houston,TX
Mr. & Mrs. Fred "Ted" W. Lazenby, CEO, Southlife Holding Co.
Madame Lucie Vanier Vincent
Mr. Frank Military, Warner Chappell Music, NYC
Mr. & Mrs. Byron Janis and Maria Cooper Janis
Mr. Isadore Sharp, Founder & CEO, The Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts
Mr. & Mrs. Regis and Joy Philbin
Mr. James Gandolfini, Actor, New York City
Dr.'s Allan Sniderman and Sarah Pritchard
Mr. Boomer Esiason, American Football Star
Mr. John Bello, Founder of SoBe
Mr. & Mrs. Dolph von Arx
Mr. Gerald Cramer
Mr. & Mrs. Peter McConnell
Mr. & Mrs. R. Regelbrugge
Mr. & Mrs. Herman Moore
Dr. R. Blackwell
Mr. & Mrs. D.Bianchi
Mr. George Cohen
Mr. & Mrs. S. Ross
Mr. & Mrs. Lebow
Mr. M. Kalashnikov, AK-47 inventor
Mr. & Mrs.L.Desmarais
Mr. & Mrs.Lawrence D. Glaubinger
Mr. & Mrs. Joseph Steinberg
Ms. Aziza Mustafa-Zadeh, Jazz Maestro
Mr. & Mrs. A. Lemire
Mr. Robert "Bobby" Hull, hockey legend
Mr. Peter Quaife, "The Kinks", Rock'n'Roll Hall of Fame
Mr. Vladislav Tretiak, hockey legend
Ms. Natasha, granddaughter of Nikita Khrushchev
Ms. Larisa Dolina, Russian Pop Star
Mr. Efim Shifrin, Russian Comedian
Mr. V. Vinokur, Russian Entertainer
Mr. & Mrs. Ignat Solzhenitsyn - son of Alexandr Solzhenitsyn
FEATURED IN (Selected List)
Present Marquis Who’sWho in America
2007 Illustrated bestseller Book "Ford and the American Dream -Founded On Right Decisions"
2006 Life Interview with TV Channel 3 News, Las Vegas
2006 Global news of the portrait of Pope Benedict XVI, newspapers, interviews
2006 TV news of infringing copyright of Babailov's paintings by China
2006, 2005 The Russian Nobility Ball, New York City
2005 "Quest" Magazine, New York City
2005 A Taste of Thailand, Washington, DC
2004 Peruvian Encyclopedia, Empresa Editora Il Comercio,S.A
2004 "In Focus" Magazine
2004 EWTN Global Catholic Radio (live interviews), U.S.A.
2004 Moscow Times, Russia
2004 Robb Report Magazine
2003 New York Family Magazine - U.S.A./International
2003 &q